The Atlanta Falcons accused the New England Patriots of engaging in some shady antics toward the end of Sunday’s Week 9 game between the two teams, but Mike Vrabel insists he has no idea what all the fuss was about.
The Falcons were trailing 24-23 and had possession at around midfield with just over 2 minutes remaining at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Center Ryan Neuzil snapped the ball to Michael Penix Jr. on 2nd-and-10 before the quarterback was ready, which led to some confusion. Penix appeared to think there was a penalty or a dead ball, so he threw the ball into the turf.
That led to an intentional grounding penalty, which backed the Falcons up 10 yards and resulted in a loss of down. Penix then threw an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-20. Atlanta punted and the Patriots picked up a crucial first down to seal the win.
After the game, Neuzil and Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said the center snapped the ball prematurely because one or more Patriots players had clapped to simulate Atlanta’s snap. Vrabel was asked about that during his Monday morning appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show,” and the Patriots coach seemed puzzled. He also sarcastically referred to the situation as “ClapGate.”
“I didn’t see anything. Like, is that fake? I don’t know. … I didn’t see that. Maybe that’s a testament to our fans. They got loud and I could hear the energy, and I thank them for that,” Vrabel said.
Mike Vrabel on the Falcons claiming the #Patriots simulated their snaps by clapping:
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) November 3, 2025
“I mean, I didn’t see anything. Like is that fake? I don’t know…
Clapgate… That was new. I didn’t see that… Maybe that’s a testament to our fans… They got loud.”
(🎥 @TheGregHillShow) https://t.co/N79NlqymBn pic.twitter.com/Ni8MP1P9kT
Vrabel made similar remarks during his media availability later in the day.
“Certainly, that wasn’t anybody’s intent. I don’t think we’ve ever coached that or talked about that,” Vrabel said. “I can’t spend that much time focused on it.”
#Patriots HC Mike Vrabel on #Falcons HC Raheem Morris' accusing the team of cheating:
— New England Sports Fellow (@NESportsFellow) November 3, 2025
"I don't think annoyed. I'm tryna not waste any more time looking for anybody clapping. I don't see anything….I don't think we've ever coached that or talked about that."
(🎥: @Patriots) pic.twitter.com/iwLJFti4FG
One video angle of the play showed a Patriots player clapping to get his teammate’s attention, though that player was nowhere near the line of scrimmage. It is possible that led to some confusion for Neuzil.
A defensive player clapping to simulate the offense’s snap would fall under the umbrella of “disconcerting signals,” which are prohibited by NFL rules. An act like that is supposed to result in a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. The league will probably look into the allegations, but it would be a surprise at this point if anything were uncovered.
The Falcons had a chance to pull off the upset against New England, but they could not get the job done. Their biggest issue came on special teams late in the game.
